Milk and chocolate suspension



Patented ch. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MILK AND onocomrn SUSPENSION David E. Linn, La Grange, 111., assignor to International Patents Development Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application January 23, 1933 Serial No. 653,168

19 Claims. (01. 99-41) This invention relates to the manufacture of liquid'vehicle so that the chocolate particles also chocolate beverages and particularly to milk and will be deposited, in part at least. If, however, chocolate mixtures in which substances of a 001- a very small amount of gum, such as agar-agar, loidal character are used to keep the chocolate be added with the starch, even in its partially in suspension. gelatinized state, it seems to keep the starch in 5 It has been proposed to use agar-agar, or other suspension. The gum acting as a protective colvegetable, or animal gum of like character, for loid in respect to the starch keeps the same in this purpose. It has also been proposed to use suspension in the liquid and is therefore termed starches of one kind or another. herein a stabilizing gum while the starch through This invention is based upon the discovery that its thickening function, keeps the chocolate from 10 new and unexpected improvements in process settling out. Whether this theory is correct or and product result from the use of both the not, the use of a small, even a very small, quanstarch and gum ingredients in certain rather tity of the gum in addition to the starch results limited proportions; the quantity of the gum in important advantages: The duration of susbeing very much smaller than the quantity of pension of the chocolate is increased; lower temthe starch. These substances function asthickperatures can be used in processing the mixeners, increasing the specific gravity and the ture; the resultant product is more fluent; beviscosity of the fluid vehicle, and also in a discause of the decreased amount of coa ulati n of tinctly difierent way as protective colloids. Apt m proteins the beverage s r di sti l 2i) parently the starch acts primarily as a thickener and because of the low temperature of the heatand only to a small extent as a. protective coling the flavor is improved.

loid. The gum acts almost entirely as a pm- The term chocolate, as used herein, is intective colloid; it does not, in the amounts used, tended to include cocoa as well as chocolate in appreciably thicken the milk. the strict sense of the word.

If starch be used alone it is necessary, in order So far as I am aware, any vegetable or animal 25 to give the liquid vehicle the requisite capacity gum that will swell in water may be used as the for suspending the chocolate particles, to cook protective colloid or stabilizing gum, for example the mixture at such a. high temperature, in order agar-agar, (which is preferred) gelatin, gum to thoroughly gelatinize the starch, that a large arabic, gum tragacanth, and pectins (Irish moss,

part of the milk proteins are coagulated. This citrus pectin, apple pectin). 3 gives a product which is likely to have a cooked My experience goes to show that these subtaste and which is thicker than is desirable for stances may be substituted one for another weight a beverage. for weight.

Only a small amount of the gum, agar-agar All starches may be employed (but not always for example, will remain dispersed in the milk. in li e quantitie 0 Without some changein P 35 If larger amounts are used, the excess will segreess) such as cornstarch, arrow-root starch, wheat gate in jelly-like lumps. It is not practical, or starch, tapiocetfstar'ch.

at least conducive to the best results, to use In respect to raw starches of all kinds, includagar-agar, or other like gum, alone. If, howing corn starch, the amounts of the starch ingreever, a small amount of the gum be introduced dients will vary, approximately, in inverse pro- 40 into the milk and chocolate mixture,- in addition portion to their viscosities, measured by the Scott to the starch, such mixture can be stabilized, to test (time in seconds of duration of flow of 100 cc. keep the starch particles in suspension, by heatthrough an orifice of .01 sq. in. cross-sectional ing at such relatively low temperatures that small area). This rule does not hold good, however, for

quantities only of the milk proteins are coagumodified starches. 45

lated and a relatively thin liquid results instead Wh re c r sta h is us d. better results a e of the heavy cream-like mixtureswhich have obtained by employing starches that are appreheretofore been produced in an effort to prevent Ciably modified y acid alkali ntssegregation and stratification of the chocolate. These treatments weaken the integument of the Apparently under these low temperature condi- Starch 08115, ppare tly, thus facilitating lsinitions the starchis only partially gelatinized. The ati n during th co s p. so h a le ser cell integuments' are disrupted but the contents amount than expected may be used.

of the cells not completely discharged and dis- If a certain quantity of raw corn starch, havpersed. In this condition, the starch may in ing a Scott test say of 90 to 105, is required time settle down through the milk, thinning the it may be replaced by, and the same suspending cfiect obtained with, a like quantity of modified corn starch having a Scott test of say 55 to 65 for the reasons above stated. The use of the modified starch, however, gives a somewhat thinner beverage with an improved suspension and less liability to starch taste. A low cooking temperature may be used or the time of cooking diminished;

Assuming that raw corn starch, as made by acid or alkali process, may be considered to have hydrogen ion concentrations within the range of pH equals 4.5 and 5.5, starches modified by specific alkali treatment may be used, and advantageously used in place of raw corn starch, having alkalinities up to pH equals 9 or 10; or, on the other hand, acid modified starches may be used having pH values down to 3.5 or 4.

In carrying out the process of making the milk starch emulsion, the chocolate, sugars, (when the latter are used) starch, and the gum may be introduced, as dry substances, into the milk, thoroughly mixed, and the mixture heated to a tem-- perature of 170 to 200 F., or higher if desired although this is not necessary-in place of temperatures approximating 240 F. heretofore recommended, for periods from 20 to 30 minutes, more or less. Preferably, however, a sirup is first made of the chocolate and sugar, and this sirup, together with a preformed mixture, in proper proportions, of the starch and gum, added to the milk and the final mixture agitated and heated described.

As a matter of convenience to the beverage manufacturer, and in order to insure correct proportions between starch and gum, the starch and gum may be compounded together and the compound delivered to the beverage manufacturer.

In making the compound the agar-agar, for example, is preferably ground dry and screened to the same degree of fineness as the starch and is then thoroughly mixed with the starch in the proportions indicated by the speoific examples given below. In such a mixture the agar-agar, although very small in quantity, approximately from 1 to 20 parts of agar to 100 parts of starch, will remain evenly distributed in the starch. It will not sift out. This novel mixture will disperse in the chocolate vehicle much more easily than if the ingredients were introduced into the liquid as separate substances. If the agar is not finely ground it will swell instead of dissolving, particularly at the low temperatures preferably used in compounding, with consequent loss of stabilizing power.

The following examples of typical mixtures,

with preferred percentages of the ingredients,.

will serve to illustrate the character of the present hivention. The percentages are by weight.

Any suitable sugars may be used in the suspension or in the dry product or the sugar ingredient may be omitted if desired. The amount of the sugar ingredient may be varied to any extent. For any usable quantity the sugar does not add to the viscosity of the beverage. The amount of cocoa or chocolate may also be varied. The

matter of taste or of economy will govern any increase or decrease. As much as 2.5% of cocoa may be used without changing the percentage of starch or gum. The starch ingredient may be increased to two or three per cent. My experience goes to show that one per cent is near the critical lower limit. More than two or three per cent gives too high a viscosity and is likely to give a distinct starch taste to the product. The gum, agar-agar, may be varied inamount from about 0.01% to 0.2%, but at the upper limit there would be a strong tendency to segregation in jelly-like lumps.

Example 2 Percent Milk 90.78 Cane sugar 4.06 Cerelose 2. 03 Cocoa (cheaper quality than in Example 1) 1. 673 Raw corn starch (Scott test 100) 1.433 Gum 024 Total 100. 00

The first four items may be varied as indicated in Example 1.

The same quantity of modified corn starch may be used in place of the specified raw corn starch. The amount of corn starch may vary between 1 and 2%. Where raw corn starch is used the lower limit of the gum quantity should not be quite as low as in Example 1.

Example 3 Percent Milk 91. 00 Cane sugar -2 4.07 Cerelose 2. 03 Cocoa al. 676 Wheat starch (Scott test 1.2 Gum 0.024

Total 100. 00

The variations may be substantially the same as with Example 1.

The time of cooking with the raw corn starch should be ordinarily 25 to 30 minutes; with the modified corn starch 20 to 25 minutes; with the tapioca and wheat starches about 20 minutes.

It will be understood that these examples are purely typical and illustrative.

In Example 2 the temperature should be somewhat higher when raw starch is used than with modified starch. The modification weakens the integuments of the starch cells, without disrupting them, so that the required but incomplete gelatinization will take place more readily than in the case of raw starch. While it would be possible to heat'to the relatively high temperatures ordinarily used in making chocolate starch suspensions, these high temperatures produce a thickness of the product which ordinarily is very undesirable. By keeping the temperature at 200 F. or below, the milk albumen will be coagulated but there will be no substantial coagulation of the casein. The milk therefore, sterilized or pasteurized, so as to improve its keeping qualities, without greatly increasing its thickness. This low temperature will gelatinize the starch sufliciently so that, with the employment of the gum, as a protective colloid, the chocolate particles will be stabilized in the suspension through stabilization of the starch.

As a matter of convenience and to avoid circumlocution, the term ,stabilizing gum is used in the claims as meaning an animal or vegetable gum. of the type described which is capable oi swelling in water and functioning. as a prospective colloid.

The examples above given are to be regarded as merely typical and illustrative. The intention is to claim all modifications of process and product within the scope of the appended claims.

No claim is made herein to the stabilizing compound itself, as that is claimed in a subsequent application of the applicant, Serial No. 709,327,

'filed February 1, 1934 (for which application, Se-

rial No. 738,592, filed August 6, 1934, has been substituted) I claim:

1. Method of making a stable chocolate suspension which consists in adding to the liquid vehiclestarch and a much smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to gelatinize the starch.

2. Method of making a stable chocolate suspension which consists in adding to the liquid vehicle modified corn starch and a much smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to gelatinize the'starch.

3. Method of making a stable chocolate suspension which consists in adding to the liquid vehicle from one to'three per cent of starch and from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to gelatinize the starch.

4. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding -to the mixture of milk and chocolate, starch and a much smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum, and heat-' ing the mixture to a temperature above the gelatinizing temperature of starch and below the temperature at which the casein in the milk coaguiates.

5. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate, starch and a stabilizing gum in amount between one part and twenty parts 'of the gum to one hundred parts of the starch, and heating the mixture to a temperature above the gelatinizing temperature of starch and below the temperature at which the casein in the milk coagulates.

6. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate, starch and a stabilizing gum in amount between one part and twenty parts of the gum to one hundred parts of the starch, andheating the mixture to a temperature between 170 and 200 F.

7. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate modified corn starch and a much smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to a temperature above the gelatinizing temperature of starch and below the temperature at which the casein in the milk coagulates.

8. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate from 1% to 3%, by weight, of starch and from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to a temperature above the gelatinizing temperature of the starch.

9. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate from 1% to 3%, by weight, of starch and from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to a temperature above the gelatinizing temperature of the starch but below the coagulating temperature of the milk casein.

10. A chocolate and milk suspension containing gelatinized starch and a smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum.

11. A chocolate and milk suspension containing gelatinized modified corn starch and a smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum. I

12. A chocolate and milk suspension in which the milk albumen is coagulated while the casein is substantially uncoagulated, containing gelatinized starch and a stabilizing gum.

13(A chocolate and milk suspension in which the milk albumen is coagulated while the casein is substantially uncoagulated, containing gelatinized starch and a stabilizing gum in which the gum is present in proportion between one part and twenty parts of the gum to one hundred parts of the starch.

14. A chocolate and milk suspension in which the milk albumen is coagulated while the casein is sumtantially uncoagulated, containing from 1% to 3% of gelatinized starch and from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum.

15. A chocolate and milk suspension containing from 1% to 3% of gelatinized corn starch and y from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum.

, 16. Method of making a stable chocolate suspension which consists in adding to the liquid vehicle modified corn starch and a much smaller quantity of a stabilizing'gum, and heating the mixture to a temperature from 170 to 200 F.

17. Method of making a stable chocolate suspension which consists in adding to the liquid vehicle from 1% to 3% of" starch and from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum, and heating the mixture to atemperature from 170 to 200 F.

18. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate modified corn starch and a much smaller quantity of a stabilizing gum and heating the mixture to a tempera-: ture between 170 and 200 F.

19. Method of making a stable chocolate and milk suspension which consists in adding to the mixture of milk and chocolate from 1% to 3%, by weight; of starch and from 0.01% to 0.2% of a stabilizing gum, and heating the. mixture to a temperature between 170'. and 200 F.

DAVID E. LINN. 

